George Gilman
| George Gilman | |
|---|---|
| Born |
George Francis Gilman 1826 Waterville, Maine |
| Died | March 3, 1901 Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Known for | The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company |
| Partner(s) | George Huntington Hartford |
George Francis Gilman (1826–1901) founded The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. A native of Waterville, Maine, he moved to Manhattan when he joined his father's leather tanning business. By age 30, he had his own leather business in New York. After his father died, Gilman decided to enter the more respectable tea and coffee business and started what would ultimately become A&P.
Gilman had a flair for marketing and pioneered many sales techniques that are now commonplace retailing. Initially he opened stores in New York City and also operated a nationwide mail order business selling tea and coffee. In 1871, he opened a store in Chicago, Illinois and within a few years operated stores in 16 cities.
In 1878, Gilman retired to his mansion in Bridgeport, Connecticut where he became known as an eccentric. The firm was operated by George Huntington Hartford who had been responsible for the company's business affairs. Under the unwritten understanding, Hartford received half of the profits. Gilman never had children and died without a will. Hartford asserted in court that he was entitled to half of the company and Gilman's estate agreed to a settlement that allowed Hartford to ultimately buy out the Gilman interests.
Born in Waterville, Maine, George Gilman came from a wealthy family that traced its ancestry back to the Mayflower. George's father, Nathaniel Gilman was a successful privateer and embargo runner during the War of 1812. Nathaniel entered the New York City leather trade in 1834 and formed Gilman, Small and Company in an area known as the swamp two blocks east of city hall. Eventually the company operated three leather warehouses in the city and relocated the tannery upstate. The forerunner of A&P was founded by George Gilman in the mid-1850s as Gilman & Company to continue his father's leather tanning business. In 1858, Gilman built his own warehouse at 98 Gold Street in Manhattan. The business also had an office in St. Louis, Missouri.
Gilman's father died in 1859 without a will, resulting in litigation that was not settled for 50 years. That year, George Gilman's firm entered the tea and coffee business using the storefront at his Gold Street warehouse. One source speculates that Gilman decided to enter a more respectable business in light of his wealth. In May 1861, Gilman turned over his tanning business to his brother Winthrop and George moved his tea business to 129 Front Street. Initially, Gilman & Company was a wholesaler. In early 1863 the firm became a retailer calling itself the Great American Tea Company. Quickly, Gilman opened five stores and moved his office and warehouse to 51 Vesey Street.
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